Poll: Best Current Work Traditional between Case, GEC, and Queen

Best Current Work Traditional between Case, GEC, and Queen

  • Case Cutlery

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Great Eastern Cutlery

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Queen Cutlery

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
Queen's D2 gets my nod here. Far superior steel to anything that Case or GEC produces, other than maybe the occasional 154-CM from Case. But Case doesn't use the higher end steel in the patterns I want.
 
For a work knife, Case Medium Stockman in Stainless. It was the "work" in the poll that swings it to Case. While my GEC knives would certainly be up to any task, I feel they are too nice to get down and dirty.
 
It's kind of entertaining looking at knives from a couple of perspectives. In the other poll, I voted for GEC as the best, but for a working knife, I prefer a Case. I've only had a couple of Queens and didn't use them much, but the ones I had were pretty good knives. I've never had any problems with the fit and finish on a Case; they offer stainless steel, which I prefer; the springs are strong enough without being too strong; the ones I have don't have half-stops, which I think are a pain in the neck; the blades are easy to touch up; and Case knives still sell at a relatively low price point for a U.S.-made knife. But everyone has their preferences, and it is nice that we have some good options to choose from.
 
None of the above.

Work knife? Buck 301.
 
My go to work knife would be a GEC 71. It is reasonably priced and works well for my uses.
 
I have never tried a Queen , but I like the choice of D2.

That being said, I prefer Case's patterns. If I could get their knives with GEC's handles, specifically wood, I would be very satisfied.
 
I don't have any Queen knives but out of the other two I'd go with Case. Mostly because of the pattern choices and the steel choice. If there was a large stockman from GEC I'd have more to think about. I think Case has more a work "feel" to their knives. Meaning I don't mind if they get banged up and dirty. The price point probably has a lot to do with that. I'd love a Queen stockman in D2, but I hear it's almost impossible to sharpen on a sharpmaker and that's all I'm working with...
 
I voted Case for a "work knife", because when i hear "work knife" i think construction, plumbing, carpentry, yard work, etc. And i can go into any construction supply store to buy materials for said job and find Case knives on the shelf at the same time, find one with adequate fit and finish, and buy it knowing the edge will be sharp without needing it to be reprofiled or sharpened to use the same day on the same job. I would have voted BUCK, Leatherman, or SAK for a work knife before GEC or Queen for the same reason. But, to be completely honest, i use a modern folder or fixed blade for these tasks.
 
bonky said:
If I am to understand your intentions correctly, I've cast my vote. I've used all three brands, and currently have some of them all in my possession.

I think that the best "work knife" is dependent on the work to be done. My requirements for my daily-carry slipjoint are pretty lenient, usually opening packages, removing an occasional splinter, cutting a piece of string or rope.

For food-prep, boxcutting, wirestripping, etc I use a tool better tailored for the job at hand.

All three of the brands you've listed make fine slipjoints that are more than adequate for my needs. That being said, like most people I have a favorite. I'm certainly curious to see how this poll turns out, and thanks for taking the time to put it up.
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Russell pretty much echos my thoughts especially when he said: "I think that the best "work knife" is dependent on the work to be done."

I voted Case as the best work knife. A Case SS 3347 Stockman would do just fine.

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If it just comes down to work and nothing else like f&f and other nitpicks then I don't think it much matters whether it's gec, case or queen. They are all good choices for using on the job or whatever else comes up. One thing that case has over both is well rounded tangs due to their tumble polishing, but this comes at the price of rounding the tips as well. This is much more comfortable in hand, gec and queen should make an effort to round their tangs as they are sharp and uncomfortable. Some of my favorite workers are the gec bullnose and case 6347 and 6375.


I would also like to mention my #1 choice although it was not an option. America still works with american made schrade's :thumbup:
 
deltaboy said:
Case cause I could never really work a knife that cost over 75 dollars.
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GEC F&F is their work knife. My Bullnose in 01 steel is arguably a harder use knife than anything by Case and cost me $45 new, if I recall.
 
I had to vote Case, since I've never owned any of the others.
Truth be told though, I prefer my Buck 301 stockman over my Case canoe for a work knife.
 
Truth be told if I am going out to do what I know will be "abusive" work, I don't grab the knife I consider the best work knife either. But if I am going out with no specific activity in mind, the knife is always the same recently. That was more what I was interested in discovering here. Each brand has different models more appropriate for one job than the other.
 
This was an easy one for me. There's only one brand here that I trust to be the only knife I carry when I leave the house. I usually carry two or three knives, so it's not too much of an issue most days, but if I had to choose one knife to get the job done I know who's knives I'd put my trust in.
 
All things considered and the fact they have served me well for over 50 years I went with Case. That being said I really like Queen and GEC both but as an everyday work carry that IMO anyone can afford I stand by my choice of Case.
 
Randy Those are largely my sentiments too.

Queen's D2 is certainly up for much more prolonged work-once got sharp, than its competitors. Its Country Cousin offers a genuine tough bargain.

GEC's range is wide, steel choice less so but the Farm&Field range are rugged and useful bigger knives.

But I go for CASE here. Why? Very easy to obtain, even outside the USA, its cv and stainless are adequate and easy to sharpen, massive choice of patterns including useful compact Stockmans and the whole Yellow D range is made for work it itself. They cost a good deal less than Queen or particularly GEC, so if/when it gets lost it's not too mortifying.

Thanks, Will
 
If we change the intent to "value" then it is a bit of a different question and we would need to include the Opinel; which is at least 1/6th as good as Queen or GEC knife at 1/6th the price.
But, the question was not intended to be respective to what you might lose; it was which company do you think makes the best work knife.
 
knifeswapper said:
If we change the intent to "value" then it is a bit of a different question and we would need to include the Opinel; which is at least 1/6th as good as Queen or GEC knife at 1/6th the price.
But, the question was not intended to be respective to what you might lose; it was which company do you think makes the best work knife.
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I know you're well versed in the game Mike, so I'm sure that you know the results from this board will clearly be GEC. Most of those that hang out here, with the exception of some of us lurkers, are infatuated for some reason or other with GEC. (That's why we lurk.) If you're looking for a truly unbiased result to your study, I'd suggest posting in some other locations as well.
 
I don't necessarily agree with the premise, although at this point it is a safe assumption. But there are nearly as many negative conversations about each brand as there are positive. The outcome would be more lopsided on any other platform that I have an account. But possibly the outcome here will be GEC, because that is the sentiment- not because it is a biased group. Or to go one step further, if it is a biased group - why are they biased?

What would be a better location?
 
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